


Unravel

by thatwritersdream



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-07-27
Updated: 2018-09-20
Packaged: 2019-06-17 02:12:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,546
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15451104
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thatwritersdream/pseuds/thatwritersdream
Summary: "Oh Chaton, I'm not akumatized. You silly kitty, I'm just taking what's rightfully mine. This city owes me that much."---Not all Ladybugs are lucky. Some just can't resist the temptations.





	1. Sabine

**Another story I didn't need to start but one I just had the idea of doing, so I type it out and what use is it just sitting on my laptop? Here we go!**

**Characters or music links in the story do not belong to me, but belong to their rightful owners.**

* * *

**Unravel**

**Chapter 01**

**Sabine**

* * *

 

Questions, so many questions that it was hard to keep up with them. Nadia constantly asking irrelevant things, Chat Noir being absolutely no help, and the city of Paris being completely unaware of the very things that could go wrong.

Yet that was how this worked, that was just life and it moved on with the flow. Marinette would move on with it, ignoring the questions that always seemed to be in the general area of her relationship with Chat Noir as Ladybug. The answer always remained the same, they were just  _partners._

The selfish side of her knew he loved her, the bluenette knew this. She had seen it with her very eyes as Marinette. How Chat Noir had set up the balcony with candles, how he waited so eagerly for her to appear. Only she had, in a form he didn't know. He confessed, and she could still only think of Adrien Agreste.

The boy who only saw her as a  _very good friend_. How unnerving was that? Then again she knew she never really spoke to him without stuttering. She knew that he didn't really know her, besides she always left when she could. How pathetic was she?

Only Adrien was the last of her problem, as was saving Paris and defeating Hawkmoth- who's akumas were getting more and more dangerous. Honestly, Marinette knew that someone was bound to get hurt, as did Tikki, beyond what she could fix. It was only in time that it would happen.

Yet time was something Marinette didn't have. At the end of the school semester, right before summer break started, Sabine Dupain-Cheng had fainted in the kitchen. At first both Marinette and Tom had believed Sabine had been dehydrated. Only Sabine fell ill.

At first Marinette was distant from her friends, which made Alya concerned. The blue belle eyed female stopped answer her text messages, phone calls, and the bakery always seemed to be closed now a days. At least they used to be.

Meanwhile on the rooftops of Paris, Chat Noir noticed the lack of Ladybug actually being present. She would be there besides him, scanning over the city but didn't react to anything he said or did to get at least a smile. He knew there was something wrong, seeing as in fights she was getting a little sloppy at times, less focused. When he asked about, she merely muttered  _it's personal, Chaton_ , and left it at that.

It was exactly two o'clock in the morning midsummer when Alya heard her phone going off. Grabbing her glasses an muttered about who the hell would be calling so early in the morning, she was surprised to see five missed calls from Marinette. Something in Alya's chest didn't feel good.

On the other side of the line, Marinette was in hysterics. It caused Alya to be wide awake and alert, asking over and over what was wrong. Never had she seen, or heard Marinette cry or crying so hard she couldn't even breath.

 _"It's my maman."_  Marinette wheezed out, hiccuping into the line.  _"She's...she's gone Alya!"_

It had been the first time Marinette had said it outloud, and the sounds of her crying of the acception, it had Alya crying too. The line went dead then, and Alya had so many questions going through her head.  _How? Why? What just happened?_

It all became clear when Alya and her own parents went to the Dupain-Cheng residence. Tom was a mess, but he was trying to bake to make up the lost revenue from all the time in the hospital. Marinette was in her room, laying there while Tikki snuggled up to the girl.

Sabine Dupain-Cheng had been in and out of the hospital for month and a half months after being diagnosed with an aggressive case of Leukemia, which is cancer of blood-forming tissues, including bone marrow. She had undergone chemotherapy to reduce the cancer cells the first month, but when she went to get checked for any trace of the cancer, there was more than they had caught before.

Sabine had known in her heart that there was too much cancer, and as much as Tom and Marinette had wanted her to go for more treatments, she had grabbed both their hands and smiled at the two most important people in her life and told them her one and final wish.

"I want to go home to China, see my mother and father and spend my time with you and them." Sabine's smile didn't waver, but Marinette would never forget the sadness in her eyes.

Yet they did exactly this, and for a month they were in China. Spending every single waking moment with Sabine that they could. Marinette helping her grandmother, Tom helping his father-in-law, and Sabine enjoying her family on last time.

During that time, Sabine had gradually gotten weaker. She needed more help and got frustrated when she had to depend on others to help her get place to place. She hated crying in front of them, but her good days turned to bad days, and she knew her body was breaking down. It wasn't  _fair_.

Sabine was supposed to see Marinette grow up, graduate and go to a fashion school. She was supposed to see her baby girl grown up, succeed in life and fall in love with some lucky boy. She was supposed to see Tom walk Marinette down the aisle, give a heartfelt speech at her daughter's wedding, hold her first grandchild. She was supposed to grow old with her husband at her side.

Life was so cruel, but in that moment it gave Sabine mercy. She had slipped away peacefully in her sleep with Tom holding one hand, and Marinette holding the other. Leaving one wish in her wake, that her beloved daughter and husband would be okay without her.

* * *

Mayor Bourgeois had insisted on donating to the Bakery, much to Tom's disagreement. Citizens in Paris had raised money for the father and daughter that were going through a hard time, loving the family that had always welcomed them with smiles and nothing but positivity. Even Gabriel Agreste had reached out to Marinette, giving his condolences to her and her father with a personal visit. **  
**

When her final year of school started, Marinette wasn't the same girl she was before. Tikki was worried, feeling that seed in her miraculous holder's heart that could cause havoc. Marinette smiled less, she drew less, and she was unmotivated. Alya had tried her hardest to be there for her, same with Nino.

Marinette knew though, she knew that Alya and Nino were now dating. Why didn't they tell her? She assumed because they thought she wouldn't be able to handle it. She honestly didn't really care. Alya could go on dates with Nino, in fact Marinette  _wanted_   her too so she didn't suffocate her with the  _how are you doing today_ , or the  _are you okay?_

A twitch of a bitter smile played on her lips. God, she was tired of the are-you-okays, because they were just so fucking  _annoying_  at this point. No she wasn't okay, so she wanted to know what idiot thought that was the best question to ask her. She swore if someone asked her if she was okay agains he might actually bash her head in. Then there was her father, who was over here trying his best to support her and himself, and she tried her best to help  _him_. Yet Tom wanted her to focus on school, not be in the bakery.

That was something new. Life at home was different for Marinette. Where it was once so full of happiness and love, there was coldness and emptiness. She knew her father loved her and wanted the best for her, she just wished he could be present again and stop stressing so much.

The only one who actually seemed to understand her was Adrien. The irony in that being the one person Marinette was never able to talk to before would be the one person to understand her loss.

Adrien tried his best for the girl who lost her smile. He always ignored her stuttering, knowing Marinette was a good person at heart that had nothing but good intentions for the people around her. He'd seen her in action, helping those out in school. Now he wanted to be the one to help her, because for once he understood what she was going through since he lost his own mother.

Not only that, but Plagg was persistent in making sure he at least checked up on Marinette. Sometimes even asking how she was doing when he slept in Adrien's bag while the blonde spoke to the girl. Deep down, Plagg was just worried for Marinette and for Tikki. It was highly possible to be akumatized, an Marinette was extremely vulnerable at the moment still. Especially when the funeral for Sabine was held here in Paris two weeks ago.

On that note, Adrien had noticed as Chat Noir that his Ladybug was colder. She spoke less, but now she was laser focused when it came to akumas. She was rougher in fights, telling him that in the end there would be no harm to the person. Yet he seen her do it, take out whatever aggression was in her during fights, on the akuma's latest victim. It worried him, yet she would tell him to stop worrying about it.

"Have you designed anything new lately?" Adrien asked, watching Alya and Nino give him a thumbs up as he sat with Marinette in the distant.

Marinette looked up from the empty page of her sketch book into the green eyes she adored. Or used to at least. Nowadays, she didn't stutter, and her heart didn't race at the sight of Adrien. Why would she love something if she was bound to lose it? She didn't want love if she couldn't bare without it when it was truly gone.

"No, nothing." Marinette shrugged, leaning back in her chair. "Honestly, I'm thinking of dropping designing and doing something realistic."

Adrien raised an eyebrow, perplexed at this answer. "Dropping it? Marinette you love designing, that's what you wanted to be, a fashion designer!"

Marinette felt her eyebrow twitch in annoyance, her blue eyes hardening. "How would you know? Up until three weeks ago, we were never close. You think I'm stupid? I notice Alya and Nino tip toeing around on their dates, walking on eggshells around me just like you do. You're here as a distractions, because you can  _relate_."

It was almost between mocking and scoffing at him with that last word, and for some reason Adrien didn't like it. He didn't like this Marinette, the one who smiled less as was emotionally distant.

"Marinette-"

"Why do you love Ladybug?" Marinette suddenly asked, changing the topic that she just cut Adrien off of.

Adrien, opened his mouth then closed it, surprised by the sudden turn in conversation and the question. Not even a second ago was she snapping at him, but she asked him something he didn't even know she knew.

"How did you know?" Adrien asked, wanting to hit his head on the table from just the stupidity of the question.

Marinette gave him a look, knowing that it was something obvious. "You check the Ladyblog periodically. Have deep and long conversation with Alya about her recent weird behavior. Plus you get this look in your eyes, almost perking up at just the  _mention_  of her."

Adrien blushed slightly, embarrassed at the fact Marinette had caught these small things. It wasn't a secret though, but it also wasn't common knowledge he made evident for common knowledge.

"Plus Nino mentioned it." Marinette added, which answered everything for Adrien.

"Why?" Adrien scratched the back of his head. "She's just so brave, strong, beautiful. Plus she's intelligent, stubborn, and caring. She always saves the day, and is someone anyone can depend on."

Marinette wanted to laugh in his face, because it made sense then why he never looked her way. He was infatuated with this being, this person who was everything she  _wasn't_. She was nothing like her superhero counter part, no matter what Tikki said. She wasn't brave, or strong, or beautiful, nor was she caring.

Not at the moment. It was a bitter seed in her heart to be envious of herself, because if anyone knew she was Ladybug, they would lose their faith in the divine being they believed the superhero was. She was nothing compared to Ladybug, the one everyone loved and believed in. Without Tikki, she wouldn't even be Ladybug. Without Tikki, Marinette was truly nothing.

"You idolize her, just like everyone else in this city." Marinette says softly, not even looking at the blonde model across from her as she lazily drew scribbles in the sketch book in front of her. "You don't actually know her. She saved you, what- once? And you think all these things of her, yet you don't know her. The girl under the mask."

Adrien frowned more, but he couldn't correct Marinette. He couldn't tell her it was because he was Chat Noir, because he worked besides her all this time and fell in love with his crime fighting partner. Yet he was so disturbed by how Marinette tried to knock him down, knock Ladybug down that he wasn't sure to defend his lady or let it slide knowing Marinette was hurting.

"I'm sure that the girl under the mask is the very same as Ladybug. Just as whoever is under the mask of Chat Noir is the very same." Adrien wanted to reach out and grab Marinette's hand, to gain her attention that was no longer on him. "You're hurting, I get that Marinette, but lashing out on those who care about you isn't the way to go."

Marinette simply chuckled, "Is it lashing out if it's the truth? Besides, I never asked for you to sit here with me, you can feel free to always leave. In fact, please be my guest and go."

Adrien was stunned, but he was also determined. That if she wanted to push people away because she was hurting, he wouldn't let her push him away. No, in fact he would only stick around more. He knew the want for isolation, the need to push people away purely so he wouldn't have to deal with them. It was easy for him, being who he was.

Marinette on the other hand, she was social, she was kind and she cared. It was why she was elected class president, yet even now she neglected that. It made Adrien worried about an akuma coming for her, and yet Hawkmoth hasn't made a move on this poor soul.

"No." Adrien told her sternly, causing Marinette to tilt her head at him slightly. "I'm not letting you deal with this alone. Alya and Nino involved or not, I am not them. I will be your friend, even now and after."

Marinette let a ghost of a smile appear on her lips, as if pleased with the answer. It was the first smile Adrien had directed at him that was sincere, like earning a piece of her trust. Which was something that made him glad.

"We'll see if you can really keep that promise, blondie." Marinette says, her walls high on alert and shielded from this boy in front of her.

Empty promises were coming from his mouth, or promises that were to be broken in the future. Inside her pink pouch, Tikki prayed to the gods that she wouldn't lose this one. That Adrien would figure it out quick enough with Plagg's help that they needed to get Marinette on the right path with her heart, because the one she was on now was worse than any akuma Hawkmoth could muster up.

 _Oh Sabine, she really needs you._  Tikki thought sadly, feeling the waver in Marinette's pure heart turning a bit colder.

* * *

**Hope you liked it! Please leave me some feedback if I should continue this storyline or not! :)**


	2. Ends Meet

**Thank you for the support! I highly appreciate it! I had a bit of trouble trying to get this chapter to play out, so it's kinda like a filler chapter.**

**I hope you enjoy though!**

 

* * *

  **Unravel**

**Chapter 02**

**Ends Meet**

* * *

Adrien sighed, leaning back in the booth he sat in across from Nino and Alya sitting across from him. The blonde had been spending more time with them lately since Marinette was in one of her moods again. If there was once thing he learned the past three weeks since speaking with Marinette in the library, it was that Marinette had some mood swings that could give Chloe a run for her money.

In total of the six weeks that Adrien had tried to get close to Marinette, knowing he had slowly crept in somewhat, he knew that Marinette was struggling. In total he had always know that sometimes Marinette could be pessimistic, that she had her flaws as did everyone, but he also understood she had this facade of being this perfect girl. A facade so good even Chloe got jealous.

Yet it was a facade, and below that was a person with feelings. When she didn't have her front on for the world to see, see was alone with whatever she thought of in that beautiful head of hers. It was weird, Adrien had to admit, to think her beautiful but Marinette truly was a beautiful person, inside and out.

That was why he was surprised when he asked Alya how Marinette was outside of school, hobbies besides designing and gaming and Alya was struggling for an answer. In turn, Adrien had made Alya realize how much she didn't know, didn't understand about her best friend. It made her guilty, paying so much attention to Nino throughout these years.

"How's she holding up?" Alya asks, knowing Adrien had gone to see her just the previous days, before she told him she wanted to be alone.

Adrien shrugged, sighing out. "Still upset with the world, she's angry at this moment."

"Is that a sign of depression?" Nino asked, earning an elbow to the side. "Ouch! It's an honest question with how she pushes everyone away to isolate herself. Alya, it's getting to the point where her grades are slipping and she skips classes. It's still the first month of school!"

"It's hard for her Nino." Alya quipped back quick for her best friend's defense. "She was close with her mother, and I can only imagine how Tom is taking it. We never felt a lose like that, so we don't understand fully how she feels, so lighten up on her!"

Adrien wanted to agree with Alya badly, yet as much as she was right, she was wrong. Marinette's grades were just fine, Adrien knew this because he made it a routine to take notes and share them with her via google docs, sometimes even meeting Marinette at the local Starbucks. Yet she never invited him to the bakery, and he assumed it was because she wasn't ready to face that music yet with people she knew.

"When I lost my mother, it was like the world was ending. My father grew cold, distant and you both know how that ended." Adrien gave a pointed look. "The emotions, you'd think you could control them but they consume you sometimes, and it's hard to shake it off. Time, it helps, but it helps when people show they care for you. Like how you guys did for me."

It made Adrien wondered how Tom Dupain was doing, since the loss of a spouse wasn't an easy feat. Gabriel had loved Adrien unconditionally before his mother disappeared. Then it all changed, the house family and house dynamic. They honestly didn't know how life was inside Marinette's home now, and they probably wouldn't know for a while.

"I've tried to be there, to take her mind off whatever it's wandering too." Alya groaned into her hand, "She just is never  _interested._  Not with clothing, or gossiping, or even the Ladyblog. In fact, everytime I bring up Ladybug she just shuts down."

"Shuts down how? Sad or angry?" Adrien inquired, finding it interesting that Marinette was resenting Ladybug that much.

"More like... frustrated." She trailed off, scratching her head. "Do you think she's upset with the new heroes? Like they aren't up to parr? That maybe she thinks Ladybug chose wrong?"

There was this twinge of sadness in Alya's voice, but Adrien didn't think this was the reason. Marinette hardly spoke about the heroes of Paris, and it unsettled that Ladybug enlisted others without him. It made him wonder how much of a team and trust they had, and it kinda stung.

"No, I don't think that's the reasoning Alya." Adrien was trying to find a quick excuse, and luckily one came to mind. "I think it's because Ladybug is a symbol for positivity and hope, and Marinette-"

"Isn't in the place for that." Nino finished, earning a nod. "I think we should personally just tell her Alya, that we are dating. She isn't stupid."

Alya fidgeted, taking a deep breath and letting out a sigh of defeat. "She already knows, and she said she was happy for us."

Adrien smiled at that slightly, knowing that it was probably hard for Marinette to say it, but she was trying at least.

"Well enough of this, we'll take Marinette out this weekend even if I have to drag her out of her house." Alya declares as the waitress finally came back around with their food, the conversation switching to things like graduation and prom and trivial things Adrien was kinda excited about once he stopped worrying, just for this moment.

* * *

Marinette was trying, god knows she was trying her hardest but it just seemed like everything was getting worse at home. She was watching her own father wither away, because without her mother he didn't know what to do. Marinette could never blame Tom, he lost the love of his life, he didn't know how to do this without her. Which was why Marinette tried to support the both of them, but some days Tom couldn't even get out of bed.

"Papa?" Marinette called gently, holding a tray of food and water as she pushed the door open to what once was her parents bedroom. "I brought you food."

She didn't expect an answer, so she wasn't surprised when she didn't get one. She merely looked over her father's passed out figure in bed, glancing down where there laid an empty bottle of wine. The very bottle that used to be her mother's favorite. In that moment her heart clenched, seeing her father in such a state.

It wasn't a secret that Tom had started to drink more, a coping mechanism to numb that pain in his heart. As much as Marinette wanted to grieve, she knew she had to stay strong for her father. As Ladybug she was able to save Paris civilians, but not her own mother. She'd be damned if she lost her father as well.

Doing research, it wasn't uncommon for a spouse to go into depression after losing their significant other and becoming a widow. It wasn't unheard of widows turning to alcohol or abusing drugs to help cope. The alcohol Marinette could deal with, but if he was to become a drunk or get drugs then Marinette would get him help.

"Oh Papa." Marinette whispered, tucking his arm back under the blanket on the bed and picking up around the room. Placing a kiss on his forehead, she went to the corner of the room and picked up the pile of clothing there to take to the washer, kicking his door shut behind her.

Tikki could only watch Marinette maturing faster than before. She was going into adulthood earlier, trying to take care of her father and herself. It was getting to the point where sometimes Marinette didn't want to go and help Chat Noir, but that was because she worried about Tom. Tikki didn't blame him, the man was a shell of his former self at the moment.

She could only ever imagine a world without Plagg. Sure Tikki hadn't seen him in a few centuries, but she could feel his presence and that was enough for her. Knowing that Plagg was there, always so close yet so far, it was enough.

Tikki only hoped that her chosen would smile more, the smile that once adorned her face hadn't been there in a while. Not since her Maman had first been diagnosed earlier that summer, but Tikki had seen Marinette desperately try. It had broken Tikki's heart as well, because Marinette had officially only let one person know her secret identity, and that had been Sabine.

_"Maman, there's something I want to tell you that I haven't told you or Papa." Marinette said softly, holding Sabine's hand as the sat together outside a boba shop in the city where it was empty. It was just the two of them, so Sabine had thought, a rare bonding moment they both knew would be one of their lasts._

_Sabine quirked an eyebrow, the same way any mother would when it seemed as if their daughter was about to tell her crimes. Yet Sabine knew her daughter never had a malicious bone in her body, that Marinette was pure and utterly good._

_"Please don't tell me you have a boyfriend, your father would have a heart attack!" Sabine teased softly, trying to hide her frown and fight the tears in knowing she wouldn't see Marinette fall in love. She wouldn't get to see her baby girl walk down the aisle or hold her grandchild. She wouldn't grow old with her husband._

_Marinette's lips twitched into a smile, a smile that Sabine hoped would be there even after she was gone. "No, nothing that simple Maman. It's a secret I've had for a few years now. Tikki, why don't you introduce yourself?"_

_Sabine had watched Marinette look down at the pink purse she carried everywhere, and her eyes widen seeing the blur of red fly out and to see a floating creature in front of her. Yet Sabine only smiled at the kwami. "I assume you're the one keeping my daughter safe out there when she's saving the city."_

_Tikki smiled affectionately at the older woman, knowing that Sabine was wise and that nothing slipped past her. "I will always keep Marinette safe, and be there with her until the very end." Tikki promised, and it gave Sabine a sense of security she hadn't known she needed. "Chat Noir will too."_

_Sabine couldn't help but grin at that and throw in a wink, "Maybe even get those two together."_

_"Maman!" Marinette cried out in embarrassment, then frowned. "You knew I was Ladybug this whole time? Why didn't you say anything?"_

_Sabine could only chuckle, reaching out and caressing Marinette's face lovingly. "You don't think I wouldn't be able to recognize my one and only daughter just because of some silly mask? Honey I knew from the start, and I knew you were always extraordinary. Did I worry? All the time, but you weren't alone and you were okay. You found your purpose, and I couldn't be more proud."_

_"Maman." Marinette softly says, covering her mother's hand with her own. "I love you so much Maman."_

_"And I love you more ma cherie." Sabine's and both woman's heart clenched, a dull ache remembering that this wouldn't last much longer. "Promise me something."_

_"Anything." Marinette answered in a heartbeat._

_"No matter what happens, how much you feel like the world is ending- don't you dare give up. I want you to live your life to the fullest. Be who you are, save the city_ _carefully_ _, fall in love, become a designer. Have thirty children." Sabine couldn't help the tears in her eyes. "Most of all, take care of yourself, and move on when the time comes."_

_Marinette's breath hitched, and she gripped her mother's hand slightly tighter. "I promise Maman, but maybe two or three kids. Thirty is too many!"_

_"Okay two or three." Sabine laughed, dismissing everything else in the world._

It had been a good day with Sabine feeding Tikki cookies, much to the kwami's enjoyment. Marinette had been okay then, but that was the last time Marinette had truly been okay. The next day Sabine couldn't leave her parent's home, and then Tikki had to watch from afar. Tom and Marinette never leaving Sabine's side once, there with her until the very end. Not even three weeks later Sabine's body became too weak, and she went peacefully.

The house was never a mess though, but Marinette was left alone to pack boxes and move them out. The constant reminder, it was too much sometimes for her and her father, who hardly came out of his room now. No one questioned why the bakery was once again on hiatus, figuring that the newly widowed man needed time.

Yet Marinette found it hard to get her father to do anything, he didn't have the energy to leave bed and in front of her very eyes she felt as if she was losing her father as well. It was understandable though, the grief was eating at Tom, because Sabine had been his first everything.

Luckily her grandmother Gina, was supposed to be coming at the end of the week after some work related things finished up to stay with them for a while. Maybe she could talk some sense into Tom, and get him to get out of bed and to stop drinking himself to sleep.

It was then decided that she would clean the kitchen, throwing the cookies in the oven to bake after making batter. Within time they would lose their customers to the other bakeries in town that had always been in competition with them, but she couldn't make much. Not without Tom having an episode of why she couldn't bake.

Marinette wouldn't be surprised if the reason her father got so angry when it came to baking was because he used to do it so fondly with her mother. For her whole eighteen years of life, they worked in this bakery side by side and now she was gone. If Tom resented baking as of now, then it was acceptable, but how would they get money? The reason the bakery did so good was because her parents cared for their customer's satisfaction, her father couldn't care less now.

Hearing a soft knock on the window to the door, Marinette looked up and Tikki zipped away to hide from lingering eyes. There stood a women, dressed in a casual business suit and it was then Marinette got a bad feeling in the pit of her stomach.

Walking to the door, Marinette pushed it open so the woman could enter. "Hello, may I help you? We aren't open as of this moment."

"I see that Miss Dupain-Cheng, but I'm not here for treats. Is your father around? I'm Mrs. Thomas, from the bank." The women moved a strand of her brown hair out of the way, her eyes scanning the room around her with a scrutinizing gaze.

"No." Marinette tells the woman firmly. "My father is asleep at the moment, not in the shape to see people. I can help you though."

Mrs. Thomas gave Marinette a once over, and then nodded when she seemed to approve. "Alright then, I'll keep it straight to the point. The rent hasn't been paid for this building for about two and a half months. We understand the situation with your mother, my condolences, and we understand the financial impact, but it is concerning that there is no one working to make the money that is owed to the bank."

"You're basically saying if we don't pay it soon, we are getting evicted." Marinette finished, earning a nod.

"Eight thousand dollars is all we are asking for to make up the past payments and the next one coming. If we don't receive the money by the end of the month next month, the bank will take this building and all it has." Mrs. Thomas says, surprising Marinette.

"You can't just own the things inside!" Marinette exclaimed, panicked at the idea of losing the very home she had grown up in, the home her Maman lived in. "That isn't fair!"

"Life isn't fair. I'd think you'd be the one to understand that than most." Mrs.Thomas already was turning on her heel and walking out the door, "End of the month next month, Mrs. Dupain-Cheng." 

* * *

**Please let me know what you thought of this chapter! I highly appreciate the feed back and your thoughts!**

**Thank you again for the support.**


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